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Juett, William

Hibiscus denudatus

Hibiscus denudatus Benth.

Paleface, Rock Hibiscus

Malvaceae (Mallow Family)

Synonym(s): Hibiscus denudatus var. involucellatus

USDA Symbol: hide

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

Paleface or Rock Hibiscus is a small shrub, 1 1/2-3 ft. high, with tiny, fuzzy leaves which drop during periods of drought. Leaves are fine-toothed, 1-1 1/2 inches long and almost as wide. A scraggly, pale plant covered with whitish hairs. Bowl-shaped, white to pinkish-lavender flowers, more deeply colored in the center, bloom in upper leaf axils and along the ends of leafless, erect branches. Inside the pink or lavender cup of a flower stands a brush-like column of stamens and stigma.

These plants seem to have too few leaves. The delicate flowers are small for the genus and lack the flamboyance of ornamental species.

From the Image Gallery

19 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Bisexual
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 3 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Pink , Purple
Bloom Time: Jan , Feb , Mar , Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec

Distribution

USA: AZ , CA , NM , NV , TX
Native Distribution: W. TX to s. CA & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Sandy washes; low deserts; rocky slopes & canyons

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Description: Shallow, rocky or sandy soils.
Conditions Comments: Clumps of Hibiscus start to grow late in the season and flower over a long period in late summer.

Bibliography

Bibref 248 - Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Hibiscus denudatus in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Hibiscus denudatus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Hibiscus denudatus

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-14
Research By: TWC Staff

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